Phyllis is a girl name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Phyllis means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Phyllis across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Phyllis has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Phyllis is a girl name of Greek origin meaning “foliage, greenery”. a figure in Greek mythology.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 323,367 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 38 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 17 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 113 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Phyllis per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1947 (9,205/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1966 (10/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2014 (5/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1975 (5/yr).
Phyllis has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1947, when it ranked #72 nationally (given to 9,205 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1940s.
Phylicia · Phillis · Phylis · Phyliss · Phylliss · Philis
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